across the country we are building answers for hospitals, utilities, cities and factories and we are building them to last. siemens, answers. >> theu.s.economyinthefourthquarte of. the u.s. economy in the fourth quarter of last year october, november, december contracted by 0. 1%. one-tenth of 1%. it was the first contraction in three years and it rattles financial markets. much of the slippage in gross domestic product, was due to what the u.s. federal reserves describes as quote weather related disruptions and other transitory facts unquote. the central bank is keeping monetary policy on hold. and says n worth of long-term securities a month, until there is a substantial improvement in the outlook for the labor market. also, the cut back in department of defense outlays, is likely to fuel concerns about the size of a slow down and the full economic fallout of the large quote unquote sequester cuts scheduled for a month from now, the start of march. the president's press secretary said this about the sequester. quote, across-the-board cuts to education, to research and development,